Fluid-pressure regulator.



T. S. PUKERUD.

FLUID PRESSURE REGULATOR.

- APPLICATION Hum 001. s, 1906.

Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

INVQNTORI mam WITNESSES L ATTORN EY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

THOMAS SJPUKERUD, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO -WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

FLUID-PRESSURE REGJLATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

Application filed October a, 1906. Serial No. 337,322.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, THOMAS S. PUKERUD. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburg,-in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fluid-Pressure Regulatoralof which the following is a'specification.

My invention relates to fluid-pressure reg-, ulators, and has for its object to provide means for automatically regulating the action of a fluid-pumping device that shall be dependent .upon the pressure existing in a storage tank or chamber which is supplied thereby.

It is often desirable to automatically maintain a substantially constant pressure in a fluid-pressure storage tank and, according to my present'invention, I provide an automatic regulator which is simple and durable in construction, reliable in operation and relatively sensitive to pressure variations in the tank or chamber in which a constant pressure is desired.

The single figure of the accompanying drawing is a partially diagrammatic view of a system embodying my invention, the automatic regulator being shown in sectional elevation.

While the fluid-pumping device is illustrated in the drawing as propelled by means of an electric driving motor which is controlled indirectly by the automatic regulator of my invention, other suitable means -may be employed for accomplishing the same result, and I desire that variations in inder =7, an auxiliary cylinder 8 of mate the arrangement of the system and in the size and structural details oftheregulator' which do not depart from the spirit of my invention shall be included within itsscope.

Referring to the drawing, the fluid-pressure in .a store e tank 1 1s supplied fluid-pumping by an electric motor 3 and is maintained at a substantially constant value by means of a pressure regulator 4 which governs a motor-controlling device 5. Electrical energy may be supplied to the motor 3 from any suitable source, such as a generator 6. The automatic regulator 4; comprises a main cylrially smaller size, a two-part or difierential piston mechanism 9 which is adapted to operate in the cylinders and a steelyard or lever 10 which is provided with an adjusta evice 2 which 15 propelled able weight 11. The lever 10 is pivotally connected, near one extremity, to a stationary pro ect1on 12 of a cylinder cap 13 and is adapted to exert, by reason of the action of gravity on the weight 11, a considerable downward pressure-upon a piston rod 14 which projects through an opening in the cylinder cap 13 and engages the lever 10, at a short distance from its point of connection with the projection 12 The differential e5 piston mechanism 9 comprises a main p1ston 15, which operates in the cylinder 7, and an. auxiliary piston 16 which is connected thereto and operates in the auxiliary cylinder 8.

In the main cylinder 7 below the main piston 15, a pressure equal to that of the storage tank 1 is maintained, since the cylinder is connected to the tank by means of g a pipe 17. The portion of the cylinders above the piston 16 communicates with the cylinder 7 by means of ports 18 and, when the piston mechanism 9 is in one position,

the cylinder communicates with the portion of the cylinder 8- below thepiston 161 by so means of ports 18 and 19. When the piston mechanism 9 occupies its upper position, the ports 19 are. closed and the portion of the cylinder 8 below the piston 16 is disconnected from the cylinder 7, and exhaust ports 20', which were closed in the lower,position are now 0 en, whereby the pressure in this portion 0 the cylinder 8 is reduced to zero. A permanent connection is established from the lower end of the cylinder 8 to an 'operating cylinder 22 of the'electric motor controlling device 5 by means of a pipe 21. I

The electric motor. controlling device 5 comprises a suitable starting resistance 23 which may be connected in the motor circuit and gradually reduced to zero by means of a movable contact arm 24, an operating cylinder 22,- a piston 25 that operates thcrcin'and a piston rod 26, whereby the piston is connected to the contact arm 24. The motor circuit is normally interrupted, since the arm 24 is held out oif engagement with the con tact terminals of the resistance 22 by means of'a'spring 28 located in the cylinder 22 and acting in opposition to the fluid ressure which is'admitted to the cylinder rom the automatic regulator 1. i

The action of he regulating'syst'em is as follows Assuming that the fluid-pressure in the tank 1 is so-low that it is unable to raise the Weight 11 and that the piston mechanism 9 occupies its lower position, iiuid-pressiu'e is admitted from the tank 1, through the pipe 17 to the cylinder? below the iston 15. From this posi'ion of the cylin. or, fluidpressure is admitted through ports 18 and accelerated and drives the fluid-pumping device 2 which serves to raise the pressure in the tank 1. As soon as the pressure in the tank 1 exceeds a predetermined amount, the Wei ht 11 will be raised by the action of the fiui pressure on the pistons 15 and 16. As soon as the piston mechanism 9 has moved from-its lower to its upper position, the pressure in the cylinder 3 end. the cylinder 22 is exhausted through the ports 18, end the ports 19 which connect the cylinder 7 with the cylinder 8'are closed, As soon the pressure is thus relieved in the cylinder 22 the-spring 28 interrupts the supply of energy to the motor 3 and the fluid-pumping mechanism 2 comes to rest.

Theappli-cation of the pressure-regulator is not'confined to systems embodying storage tanks, and the-regulator may readily be connected directly to the discharge pipe of the fluid-pumping device so that the motor will. operate only when-fluid is being drawn from this pipe, An arrangement of this kind is well. adapted for use with. "liquid circulating pumps.

When su-tficient pressure is applied to the lower side of the pistonto raise the weight, the friction between the cylinder and the i-ston is materially greater than when a cover pressure exists, as is the case whenthe weight is falling on account of an annular flange 15 on the piston against which an outward pressure is exerted. The useful pressure'exerted directly upon is always proportional to the di'iieren cein the totaleress of the two istons 15 and 16, irrespective of the size fo the stem which connects the two, since the exposed area on theupper side of the piston 16 is-neutralised by a corresponding exposed areaon the uuder'side ofthe piston 1:5. Goosequeutly, the downward pressure exerted upon the piston 16 may hedisregarded. It will be observed that useful fluithpressure is exerted against both piston 15 and piston 16 in raising the weight. 11, wheu the friction greater, and i that useful pressure is only exerted against piston 15 in opposing the fall of the weight from its upper position when the a compensation for theditiereuee in the friction efiected 1' tons and friction is less, con-sequeutly,

ii. the same piston ures was active the piston and a relatively slight diminution of the pressure in the regulator chamber will per mit the weight 11 to fall.

By properly proportiouing the areas of the pistons 15 and 16, the regulator may be made sensitive to relatively slight variations in the pressure of the tank or discharge pipe to a degree which would be impossible in both raising and lowering the weight 11.

I claim as my invention:

l, The combination with a l'll.ll(.i}i)i'E?;-T-Slll6 tank or chamber, a fluidumping mechanism connected thereto, a driving motor for said pumping mechanism, a starting con troller for the motor, and an operating ey] inder and piston, of a regulator for auto-- matically admitting fluid-pressure to and exhausting it from the operating cylinder to respectively start and stop the motor as the pressure in the storage tank or chamber rises above and falls below a predetermined value, and means for compensating for the variations in the friction of the regulator.

The combination with a fluid-pressure tank or chamber it tiuid um )lIl mechanism eounectedthereto, a riving motor for pumping mechanism, a starting controller for the motor, and an operating c L inder and piston, of means for uutomatica ly admitting fluid-pressure to and exhausting it from the operating cylinder to respectively start and stop-the motor as the pressure in the storage tank or chamber rises eboveend falls below at predetermined value, said means comprising a regulator having a differential piston which acts in opposition to a substshtially constant external force,

3. The combination with a fluid-pressure storage tank or chamber, a fluid-pumping mechanism connected thereto a driving motor for said pumping mechunism, or starting controller for the motor, and an operating cylinders-rid piston, of means for regulating the fluid-pressure in the operating cylinder to start and stop the motor, said means com prising a, main cylinder having communication with the storage tank, a piston in said cylinder, a relatively small auxiliary cylinder, a piston in said auxiliary cylinder which is connected to the piston in the main cylinder, and a weight connected to said pistons to act in opposition to thefiuid: ressure which is supplied to the main cylin or from the storage tank. 7

t. A pressure regulator comprising e main cylinder, a piston operating therein, a. relatively small auxiliary cylinder, at =iston operating in said auxiliary cylinder an connected to the piston in the main cylinder, and means for producing a stroke in one direction, in opposition to an externelforce, by a useful pressure exerted upon both pisfor opposing astroke in the oppoice site direction by a useful pressure exerted only upon the main piston.

5. A pressure regulator comprising a main cylinder, and a piston operating therein, a

relatively small auxiliary cylinder, a piston operated therein-and connected to the piston in the main cylinder, and means for exerting cooperating pressures on the pistons in one direction of motion and. for exerting a useful pressure only on one of the pistonsin the opposite direct-ion.

, 6. In a pressure regulator, the combination with a main cylinder, at small auxiliary cylinder connected in tandem therewith, a two-part piston operating in. the cylinders, and a balance weight, of means for impartin a useful pressure on both pistons for raising the balance weight, and for exerting a useful pressure only on the main piston for op using the fall of the balance weight.

' A. pressure regulator comprising a main cylinder, a relatively small auxiliary cylin- (let in alinement therewith, a two-part piston which operates in the cylinders, means for limiting the piston stroke, means for applying a substantially constant inward force upon the main piston, a fluid-pressure admission portbetween the two parts of the piston, an exhaust port at the extremity of an auxiliary cylinder, and an intermediate connection between the main and the auxiliary cylinders which shunts the auxiliary piston and is eilective only when the exhaust port is closed.

8. A pressure regulator comprising a main cylinder, a relatively small auxiliary cylinder in alinement therewith, a two-part piston that is adapted *to operate in the cylinders, a fluidpressure admission port between the two parts of the piston, an exhaust port communicating with the outer end of the small cylinder, an intermediate port connecting the outer end of the small cylinder with the main cylinder, and means for limiting the motion or the piston so that the exhaust port is open and the intermediate port closed when the piston occupies one extreme position and so that the exhaust port is closed and the intermediate nort open when he piston occupies its other extreme position.

9.111 a system of iluid pressure regulation, the combination with a storage tank or chamber, a supply pump therefor, a pump driving motor and a motor controller, or an automatic regulator comprising a main cylinder, a relatively small auxiliary cylinder in alinementtherewith, a two-part piston which operates in the cylinders, means for limiting the piston stroke, means for apply ing a substantially constant in rd force upon the main piston, a fluid pressure admission port between the two parts of the piston, an exhaust port. at the extremity of an auxiliary. cylinder, and an intermediate connectipn which shunts the auxiliary piston supply pump therefor, a pump-driving motor, and a motor controller that is actuated by a fluid-pressure operating cylinder, of an automatic regulator that comprises a main cylinder, a relatively small auxiliary cylinder in alinement therewith, a two-part pis- .ton which operates in the cylinders, means for limiting the; piston stroke, means for ap plying a substantially constant inward force upon the main piston, a fluid-pressure admission port between the two parts of the piston, an exhaust port at the outer extremity of the auxiliary cylinder, an intermediate connection between the main and the auxiliary cylinders which shunts the small piston and is effective only when the exhaust port is closed, a supply pipe connection for said operating cylinder that is connected to the outer extremity of said auxiliary cylinder.

11. In a system of fiuid pressure regula-- tion, the combination with a storage tank, a supply pump therefor, an electric driving motor for the pump, a motor-starting controller and a fluid-pressure operating cylinder therefor, of a pressure regulator comprising a main cylinder, a relatively small auxiliary cylinder in alinement therewith, a two-partpiston that is adapted to operate in the cylinders, means "for limiting the stroke of the piston, a pipe that connects the storage tank to said main cylinderat a point between the two parts of the piston, a second pipe that connects the. outer end of the auxiliary cylinder to the operating cylinder, an exhaust port for the auxiliary and operating cylinders, an intermediate connection which shunts the small piston, and a substantially constant external force which acts in opposition to the fluid-pressure in the main cylinder, the arrangement of parts be ing such that the exhaust port is open and the intermetliate'port closed when the twopart piston occupies one extreme position,

and. the exhaust port is closed and the intermediate port is openwhen-the piston occu pies its other extreme position. 3 j

12. A fluid-pressure regulator comprising a piston mechanism, a weight acting thereon, and means for so applying a. flmd-pressure in opposition to said weight that its lifting force greater than its sustaining force. I

13. A fluid-pressure regulator comprising a double piston mechanism, a weight that exerts a substantially constant downward pressure thereon, and means for automatically rendering the larger piston area efi ective for raising the weight and for rendering only a part of the piston area eilective ior opposing the taller the weight.

p' 1 movifnant in. 011B and, 1." exerting a useful msm a3 0 2%; m1 of the p M ms for oppmsing pistmm 11mm nm t in the ppnsit direction. 35 H8, In in wesa ure regulator, 431m 0 $11011 w J.

m1; manna {011; mu -m" the larger lston mm e r the w "h t amdsflmppi Iih H1 m, of means 1? 11:7 {Lil pressures in p110: 40 em in mm dimction. l/xg an, mseful 1)msq-mm milky 0n l'ilemy iu pmyo site dimcti on.

In t t .mo ny hereqf, 1 112mm hereunta 45 L my name this 26th day 0f @fep- S. PUEUEJRUD, 

